Adjustable sediment bulb attachment for internal combustion engine cooling systems



1936- J. M. GIBSON ET AL 2,050,091

ADJUSTABLE SEDIMENT BULB ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE COOLING SYSTEMS Filed March 12, 1955 (fax/Ms {116 60/7 .A f/s 0. flaky/-61? INVENTOR BY 4% ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, 1936 PATENT OFFICE I ADJUSTABLE SEDIMENT BULB ATTACH- MENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION EN- GINE COOLING SYSTEMS James Marshall Gibson and Nils 0. Hultgren,

' Altoona, Pa.

Application March 12, 1935, Serial No. 10,722

2 Claims.

This invention relates to traps for cooling systems of internal combustion engines, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which may be easily and quickly installed in the cooling system of an internal combustion engine between the latter and the radiator for the purpose of catching sediment and other foreign matter and thereby prevent clogging of the system and includes in its construction a visible removable container located below and laterally of the main flow of fluid through the device so that the foreign matter may accumulate therein and be free of agitation.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the above stated character wherein a thermostatically controlled valve is provided in the outlet nipple of the cap for opening and closing said outlet nipple so as to regulate the fiow of Water through the device in accordance with the temperature of said water, the thermostat being so located as to not be unduly subjected to sediment. I

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of our invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a sediment trap constructed in accordance with our invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the device.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the thermostatically controlled valve located in the outlet nipple of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawing the numeral I indicates a tubular member having one end closed by an integral wall 2 and its opposite end closed by a removable head 3, chambered, as shown at 4. Aligned tubular necks 5 are integral with the tubular member I and in communication with the interior thereof. The necks 5 are slightly offset from the tubular member so that the interior of the latter will depend below the tubular necks and define a sediment chamber 5'. The necks are designed to fit in the usual hose couplings or connections employed between the cooling jacket of an internal combustion engine and the radiator of a cooling system.

The removable head 3 is apertured to receive a retaining rod 6, one end of which is threaded to the wall 2 and the opposite end is threaded to receive a nut 1 bearing against the head 3. Extending from the head 3 is an extension 8 terminating in a flared portion, forming a head 9. A'passage I extends through the extension and head 9 and communicates at one end with the chamber 4, the latter being in communication with the chamber 5'. The head 9 forms a seat for a transparent bowl or container II in'which sediment and other foreign matter may collect, caught by said chamber. A bail I2 is pivoted to 10 the head 9 and is equipped with an adjusting medium I3 to engage the-bottom of the container I I for holding the latter tightly against the head 9 and providing 'm'e'ans'whereby the container II may be removed from the head when desiring to clean the container of foreign matter.

While the necks 5 are generally designated by the characters 5,'the trap is connected in the cooling system so that the Water enters by way of the neck A and escapes by the neck 3. The passage of water through the necks A and B will swirl downwardly in the chamber 5, thelatter upon one wall thereof being provided with spaced longitudinally extending ribs I4 creating in the water eddies acting to separate sediment from the water, permitting the sediment to pass endwise into the chamber 4 and thence into the container I I by the passage I0.

The portion 4 is an area beyond the eddy current region and in which the extraneous matter will drift and be directed and subsequently precipitate to the bottom of the glass container.

In some instances it may be desirable to employ a screen I5 in the chamber 5' through which the swirling water passes before entering the 3 nipple B. The screen is held in place by spaced lugs I6 formed on the tubular member I. It is to be noted that the screen does not entirely block the flow of water between the nipples A and B so that should the screen become clogged the water may pass over the upper edge of the screen to the nipple B, the screen acting to intercept the sediment in the chamber 5 and prevent it from entering the outlet nipple B. However, we have found that the construction of trap will successfully operate without the employment of the screen and the latter will only be provided in certain instances or upon request.

Between the nipples A and B, upon the top wall of the device is .an outlet port I! screw threaded to receive a plug I8. The outlet port I! is provided for connecting the trap to a water heater of a vehicle and when not desiring such arrangement, the outlet port is closed by the plug I8.

When the screen [5 is omitted from the device, a valve I9 may be employed in the outlet nipple B. The valve I9 is connected to a thermostat 20 mounted to the rod 6. The thermostat acts to open and close the valve in accordance with varying temperatures and thereby regulates the flow of water through the device. The thermostat 20 being mounted on the rod 6 positions said thermostat a desired distance above the lower portion of the chamber 5' so that the thermostat will not be unduly subjected to sediment, scale or the like and thus materially increase the life of the thermostat.

The tubular member I may be turned relative to the head 3 for the purpose of adjusting the necks 5 at desired inclinations to accommodate the device to different designs employed in engine and radiator construction with the container I I always maintaining a depending position with respect to the tubular member. The adjustment of the head 3 and the tubular member I relative to one another is accomplished through releasing the nut on the rod 6. The sediment received in the chamber 5' works endwise of said chamber into the chamber 4 and thence downwardly into the container ll so that when in the container H it will not be agitated by the passing of water through the device.

Having described the invention, we claim:

1. A sediment trap comprising a hollow member having opposite ends, a permanent closure for one end of the member, a removable head closing the other end of said member and having a chamber in direct communication with the interior of said member, a discharge neck formed on said head and communicating with the chamber at one end and having its opposite end flared to provide a seat, a collecting receptacle closed by said seat and detachably secured thereto, inlet and outlet nipples formed on said member and extending from opposite sides thereof and having the lower walls arranged in a plane above the lower walls of said member to form a sediment chamber in said member, said sediment chamber having one end communicating with the chamber of said head, and spaced ribs formed on the inner walls of the member within the sediment chamber and extending longitudinally of the latter to create water eddies in said sediment chamber for causing sediment to move endwise of the sediment chamber into the chamber of the head for gravitation therefrom through the neck to said collecting receptacle.

2. A sediment trap comprising a hollow member having opposite ends, a permanent closure for one end of the member, a removable head closing the other end of said member and having a chamber in direct communication with the interior of said member, a discharge neck formed on said head and communicating with the chamber at one end and having its opposite ends flared to provide a seat, a collecting receptacle closed by said seat and detachably secured thereto, inlet and outlet nipples formed on said member and extending from opposite sides thereof and having the lower walls arranged in a plane above the lower walls of said member to form a sediment chamber in said member, said sediment chamber having one end communicating with the chamber of said head, spaced ribs formed on the inner walls of the member within the sediment chamber and extending longitudinally of the latter to create water eddies in said sediment chamber for causing sediment to move endwise of the sediment chamber into the chamber of the head for gravitation therefrom through the neck to said collecting receptacle, and means for detachably securing the head to said member whereby the head may be turned to position the neck in a depending position regardless of the inclination occupied by said nipples.

N'ILS O. HULTGREN. JAMES MARSHALL GIBSON. 

